Bless the Gym, Kendrick Farris

John 14:13 (New International Version)

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Kendrick Farris knew about God, and he made a decision to follow Him from a young age. But it was an injury sustained during the 2008 Beijing Olympics that would pull Farris back to his Christian roots and out of the lifestyle he had fallen into.

Kendrick Farris is a weight lifter blessed with talent. He likes to share his life story.  I was raised by Christian parents and we went to church often: to Vacation Bible School, youth programs and all that. But my relationship with God really became more intimate toward the end of 2008. I was faced with an injury and was doing a lot of things that I knew weren’t right. I knew I needed to make some changes, and I turned back to God. I’ve really been growing spiritually since then.

Growth for me has come through focusing on God’s Word, understanding that those promises don’t come without preparation. You need to be aware whose you are and the power you have through Him. That’s what keeps me going and reminds me why I am doing what I’m doing. Verses like Psalm 63:4 – “I will live for thee and lift my hands in praise” – and John 14:13 help me focus when I’m practicing or competing.

I try to share my faith as much as possible, using this platform that I have as an Olympian. For me, part of that is just being real and showing that faith is a part of me. This is the truth for me.

My faith is part of anything that I’m doing. God has given me these desires, and He cares about those things. If I’m doing it to glorify His name, there’s no way I can fail. I may not do exactly what I want to do, but if I’m doing it for Him, I won’t be disappointed. I just want to share my story with people and inspire others.

My motto is “Bless the Gym,” and that has multiple meanings. For me, the gym represents our body that we live in every day, so we want to take care of that and live an active and healthy lifestyle. With the physical gym building, I want to bless it with my time, talent and presence, being a good influence to people around me. Whatever your gym is, that’s yours to bless, whether it’s the track or the pool. If you believe in the Word of God, your body is the gym.

The centerpiece of my peace is God, my Lord and Savior. That’s why I do what I do. I’ve been blessed with these abilities, so why would I not want to do my best and leave a legacy through that. I want to excel, not just athletically, but that gives me a platform to connect with people.

Dear Lord We pray that we would take care of the gym. Help us bless you with our time our talent and our presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen.